Workplate supporting means for edge grinding machines



Nov. 22, 1955 REASER 2,724,219

WORKPLATE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR EDGE GRINDING MACHINES Filed D60. 30, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Warren 1?. Racism" ATTOR MEYS N 1955 w. E. REASER 2,724,219

WORKPLATE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR EDGE GRINDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 30, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 4 Warren E. Reamer BY WW ATTO HMEYS United States Patent- '6 f WORKPLATE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR EDGE GRINDING MACHINES Warren E. Reaser, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The Sun Tool & Machine Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 30, 1954, Serial No. 478,728

2 Claims. (Cl. 51-91) This invention relates to machines for grinding the edges of glass plates, and particularly to adjustable plate-supporting means therefor.

The primary object of the invention is the provision in association with such a machine, of simple, efficient and easily movable means for supporting a plate to be edge ground and which is operable by little effort of the operator to effect universal horizontal adjustment of a supported plate to permit any edge thereof to be moved with respect to the grinding wheel so as to cause a desired grinding thereof by the wheel and also to permit different edges thereof to be successively brought into grinding position and moved longitudinally for the purpose without removing the plate from or changing its position on the supporting means.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment thereof, and in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a grinding machine equipped with a work-supporting arm embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partially broken away, of the grinding machine, with the attached work-supporting arm in position for a work-piece carried thereby to be edge ground and guided for movements by the machine;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 in-Fig. 3, and t Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View on the line 66 in Fig. 3.

The invention contemplates mounting an articulated universally adjustable plate-supporting arm on a grinding machine for horizontal swinging movement relative thereto with the arm sections pivotally joined and shaped to permit placing of its outer plate-supporting end in front of the machine for guided reciprocatory movements transverse to the edge grinding means. The outer arm also supports at its free end a plate support for horizontal pivotal movements, permitting a supporting plate to be given a full 360 adjustment relative to the arm.

In the drawings, 10 designates a grinding or dressing machine for the edges particularly of glass plates and comprises a base 11, in the present instance of rectangular form in cross-section, and having mounted on its top a standard 12 supporting a bracket arm 13 for vertical and horizontal rotary adjustment. The arm carries a motor 14, as is common in machines of this character. The motor 14 has its armature shaft vertically disposed and carrying at its lower end one or more grinding wheels 15 with their peripheral grinding edges exposed at the front of the machine. Horizontal guides 16, 16 for an edge of a workplate A being ground are mounted on the top of the machine base and extend, respectively, from opposite Patented Nov. 22, 1955 sides of the grinding wheel adjacent to its plate-engaging edge.

The workplate guide arm B, in which the invention particularly resides, has an inner section 20 and an outer section 21 with the two sections pivotally connected to permit relative horizontal swinging movements. The section 20 has its inner end pivotally connected to a side of the machine base adjacent to its rear end, as at 22, so that such point of connection is remote from the front side of the machine. This section 20 'is of L-form with its inner end portion of a length to preferably project a short distance beyond the front edge of the machine base when extending forward and with its outer end portion of a length preferably somewhat greater than the distance from the pivot 22 to the front side of the base, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The outer section of the arm B is preferably of a length to extend substantially from the outer end of the section 20, when in the position shown in Fig. 3, to near a line diametrical to the grinding wheels 15 and in forwardly spaced relation thereto. The inner end of the section 21 is preferably angled to provide a short lateral extension 21- directed toward and pivoted at 23 to the adjacent end of the section 20. The arm sections 20, 21 preferably consist of I beams 25 (Fig. 5) with the spaces between the side flanges thereof closed by metal strips 26 which are welded at their edges to the respective flange edges.

A pivot pin 30 projects vertically through and has bearings in vertically spaced ears 31 projecting longitudinally from the outer or free end of the arm B and supports at its upper end a work support C for full horizontal turning movements relative to the arm. This support, in the present instance, comprises a central disk-like body pad 32 from two diametrically opposite sides of which project radial arms 33. These arms are shown as of U or channel form in cross-section with the channels facing downward and are attached at their inner ends to the under side of the center pad 32 by screws 34. Mounted on the arms 33 at their outer ends are pads 35 with their top surfaces in the horizontal plane of that of the center pad 32 so that a flat plate A may rest flatwise on and be supported by said pads. The pads are preferably faced with felt or other suitable soft material 36.

In practice, a plate of glass A to be edge ground is placed on the work support C, being held thereon by the operator, and the plate while so supported is moved to cause an edge thereof to engage the guide 16 and to travel therealong in grinding or dressing engagement with a wheel 15. The different plate edges may be successively placed in engagement with the guides and wheel by simply turning the plate and supoprt the desired extent and then moving the plate along the guides for grinding. The articulated arm B, due to its shape and point of attachment to the machine, combines with the independent rotation of the support C to permit any desired universal adjustment of the plate and lengthwise movement of any plate edge along the guide to effect a grinding thereof by a wheel 15 without undue effort on the part of the operator. It is, therefore, possible to support and guide a workplate of any shape and size and to grind an edge or number of edges thereof in a simple, easy and rapid manner, thus enhancing the practicality and commercial value of machines of this character.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement of form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for grinding the edges of workplates and having a horizontally rotatable grinding wheel, the improvement comprising a workplate supporting arm pivoted at its inner end to a side of the machine for horizontal swinging movements and having two pivotally connected sections relatively swingable in theplane of swinging of the arm, the inner of said sections being lengthwise of L form with its outer part adapted to lap the front of the machine when the inner part of the section is projecting forwardly from its pivotal connection with the machine, and a plate support pivoted on the free end of. said arm and universally movable in a horizontal plane with said arm and also rotatably movable in said plane relative to said arm to place at different times different edges of a plate mounted on said support in grinding engagement with said wheel and for movements transverse to the wheel.

2. In a machine of the class described having a horizontally driven plate edge grinding wheel and a horizontal plate guide associated therewith at the front of the machine, the improvement comprising an articulated arm pivoted at its inner end to the side of the machine for horizontal swinging movements and having its sections pivotally'connected for similar movements, the inner section of said arm being L-s hape longitudinally thereof whereby when its inner end portion is projecting forward from its pivot its other end portion extends across the front side of the machine in forwardly spaced relation thereto, a plate support pivotally mounted on the outer end portion of the outer section of said arm for horizontal turning movements and having a center plate supporting part and a cross arm thereon with plate supporting pads at its ends, whereby a supported plate may be turned with the support relative to the arm and may be universally moved with the support in the plane of turning of the support to place any edge of asupported plate in engagement with the grinding wheel and in guiding engagement with said guides.

No references cited. 

